From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Letter to the Bristol Aircraft Co. regarding the installation of a 40 m.m. gun in a Beaufighter aircraft.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 176\1\ img105 | |
| Date | 9th October 1940 | |
| c. to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}10/JH. 9th. October, 1940. The Bristol Aircraft Co.Ltd., Filton, Bristol. For the attention of Mr. Friese - Chief of Air frame Design. Dear Sirs, re 40 m.m. Gun in Beaufighter. Under the direction of Mr. Robotham we have been engaged in installing the RR. 40 m.m. automatic gun in the Beaufighter. The only information we have regarding the aircraft is that given on your drawing (no number) shewing the Hispano Gun installation. We have used this to produce PL.154, of which we enclose a print. On one side we shew the gun with the R.W. Magazine, with which you are familiar. The space around the magazin appears to be just sufficient. The plate-, to each of which are clipped 4 rounds would be ejected through a slot into the central section of the fuselage. Have you any objection to this? Likewise the cases would fall through a slot in the metal skin to earth. Is this allowed? On the other side of the fuselage we shew the 40 m.m. gun with an alternative type of magazine, which at the moment will not go into the available space. In this case the rounds are fed in from the rear singly. In order to enable us to finish off the design of this magazine and the gun installation we would be glad if you could send to us the following information :- a.{Mr Adams} Drawings which will give us full scale information of the plane structure at G.H.J.K. marked on our print PL.154. b. The highest limit our feed can protrude through the loading trap at 'L'. P.T.O. | ||